A Furry Little Problem
by the Azbaban Dreamer
Summary: Ever since they met a year ago, James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew never failed to notice that Remus Lupin seemed to disappear every month.


Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling

* * *

Ever since they met a year ago, James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew never failed to notice that Remus Lupin seemed to disappear every month.

Every time he was asked about it, Remus would come up with excuses that would get more and more far fetched as time went by.

"Blimey, Remus!" Exclaimed Sirius in the Gryffindor Common Room one evening after Remus had told them that his Great Uncle Reginald had died and he had to go to his funeral. "First your mum getting ill, then your faithful pet tortoise, Alan, snuffs it. Now this. You have one tragic life, don't you?"

Remus went red and muttered something about a long illness before returning to his Charms homework.

"He doesn't mean it like that, mate." Said James quickly. "It's just that you've been disappearing quite a lot. We've been worried about you."

"We are." Peter nodded vigorously as Remus scowled.

"Well you can stop worrying about me!" He snapped. "I'm fine!"

"All right. All right." Said Sirius placatingly "No need to bite our heads off."

Remus stood up abruptly, knocking his Charms Homework to the floor.

"I'm going to bed." He said shortly before storming to the boys Dormitories.

Sirius stared after him open mouthed. "What was _all that_ about?" He demanded of the other two.

James shrugged. "Dunno." He said. "But somehow, I get the feeling that what you said was pretty…well…..tactless."

Peter stared at James in shock while Sirius looked at James as if he had grown two heads.

"You're lecturing _me_ about tact when you display none whatsoever in front of Lily Evans?" he growled in a low dangerous voice.

James was not listening, however. A flash of dark, red hair moved past him as Lily Evans made her way to the Girls Dormitories. James stared at her, face set and he quickly ruffled up his hair as he stood up.

"Oi, Evans!" He hollered. "Fancy a ride with me on my new Broom?!"

A number of older students laughed at James as Lily Evans looked at him with intense dislike.

"Just because you made the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, doesn't mean that I'm going to swoon all over you, Potter." She hissed. Bright green eyes flashing. "And you want to be careful,." She added. "I'm not sure if your Broomstick would be able to take the weight of your large head."

And with that, she turned on her heel and disappeared up to the girls Dormitories with a flash of dark red hair. James sat back down fuming. His face bright red as laughter erupted around him.

"See what I mean?!" Sirius grumbled to Peter. "No tact whatsoever and the attention span of a Flobberworm to boot."

Peter looked as if he was trying his hardest not to speak his mind.

* * *

The next month progressed as usual. James was busy with Quidditch practice almost every night, Sirius let a Dungbomb off in the Third floor corridor and narrowly avoided detention after hiding behind a suit of armour as the new caretaker, Argus Filch came wheezing around the corner and James caused Severus Snape's Cauldron to explode in Potions after he tried to hex James.

"Did you see his face?" Chortled Sirius after they left the Dungeons. "It's like that time he was confronted with shampoo! The greasy haired git!".

Remus, however started to look pale again and James and Sirius's concerns were answered when he told them that one of his Great Aunts (Ethlewalda) was on her deathbed and he needed to see her.

"Is your family cursed or something?" Sirius asked, worriedly in the Gryffindor Common Room one evening. "You seem to be getting a lot of illnesses and deaths, lately."

"I don't have time for this, Sirius." Remus sighed warily before walking off and climbing out of the portrait hole.

Sirius caught James's eye, ready to share the exasperated look whenever Remus was acting odd. However, James seemed to be deep in thought. It was so unlike him. He was usually the life and soul of the Common Room whilst trying to show off in front of Lily Evans most of the time.

"You want to be careful, mate." Sirius grinned. "Thinking's quite dangerous for those who aren't used to it." James shot him a glare.

"I'm worried about Remus." He said in a low voice.

"I noticed. You're so worried about him that you've neglected to chat up Evans. She'll be missing you at this rate."

James ignored him.

"It's weird. The way he keeps disappearing once a month. I think he's hiding something."

Sirius nodded grimly. "You know. I've had a theory about this, for a while but I wasn't sure if I should tell you. I mean it's not an accusation I'm comfortable about spreading around. He is one of my best mates, after all."

He looked around the Common Room but people were too busy to pay them any attention. Lily Evans was chatting with her friends and showing no signs whatsoever that she missed James chatting her up. Peter was in detention after receiving a T on his last piece of Transfiguration Homework.

Sirius lowered his voice. "It's full moon tonight. I've always noticed that he starts acting strangely on the week leading up to full moon."

James stared at Sirius, open mouthed. "A-are you saying what I _think_ you're saying?" He gasped. "Because if you are, then I've been having the same suspicions as well."

Sirius nodded grimly.

"He must be." He muttered. He looked around the Common Room again, before leaning his head closer to James. "I think he is." He whispered the last words. "He's A _Werewolf_."

Silence fell between the two as James stared at Sirius, open mouthed and in a state of shock.

Finally, after several minutes of stunned silence, James found his voice again.

" _Are you sure?_ " He choked.

"Positive." Said Sirius. "I've been doing some research in the library-"

"I thought you said you were allergic to books?" James interrupted.

"This is our friend we're talking about!" Sirius snapped. "Anyway, I've been doing some research in the library. He's always been ill on the week leading up to full moon. I've been checking the lunar charts and it all fits, James. As much as I hate to say it: Our friend Remus Lupin, is a Werewolf."

James let out a low whistle and ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Merlin's Beard." He breathed. "A Werewolf? At Hogwarts? Wow!"

"'Wow' pretty much sums it up." Sirius remarked.

"I'd bet that Dumbledore must've made special arrangements for him." James said slowly.

"Yeah. Must've been that Whomping Willow. My cousin, Andromeda, the one who's married to that Muggle born, Ted Tonks. They're expecting their first child. Anyway, she was quite surprised when I had written to her about it. She said it definitely wasn't there when she was at Hogwarts. It must've been planted when we arrived at Hogwarts last year. Still. You'd think he would've told us."

"I can't imagine that many of the parents would be pleased if they knew their kids were going to school with a Werewolf." James muttered.

"You should hear my Mum talk about them." Said Sirius darkly. "Honestly, the way she goes on about them, you'd think they're vermin. Says they're not fit to lick the dirt of her shoes. Mind you I told her that no decent human being would _want_ to lick the dirt off her shoes. You should've seen her face."

James gave Sirius a reluctant grin.

"But Remus is alright." James muttered. "I mean, he wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"Not now. But as a Werewolf, it's a different matter. He would literally bite our heads off in his Werewolf form. Which explains why he got so touchy last month."

They both lapsed into silence with both boys deep in thought.

"Sirius." James said suddenly. "This won't change things, will it? Our friendship with Remus."

Sirius gave James a sharp look.

"What? Because Remus is a Werewolf?" He snapped. "Of course not! What about you?"

James gave him a determined look.

"Never." He said. "Remus is still Remus. It's not his fault he's a Werewolf."

Sirius looked relived.

"I'm really glad you said that," He said. "Because I was worried about how you would react."

"Well, I've put up with you for the past year despite you being a Black so how bad can it be?" James grinned which Sirius returned.

They lapsed once more into thoughtful silence. James then suggested that they should get on with their Transfiguration homework.

* * *

The next morning, Sirius showed James the lunar charts and his research. To his complete surprise, James had compiled notes on the very same thing.

"As I said last night, I had my own suspicions," he shrugged. "and I'm not allergic to books like you are." He shot Sirius a cocky grin which Sirius responded with a rude hand gesture.

They wasted no time in telling Peter about their suspicions about Remus and showing him the lunar charts. Peter's face paled and his watery eyes darted from James to Sirius.

"A-a Werewolf?" He squeaked. "B-but he can't be! He told me that his Great Uncle Gunthar had died from Spattergroit!"

"Don't be thick, Peter." Sirius snapped. "That's what he _wanted_ you to believe."

Peter's eyes darted to James.

"James." He breathed. "You don't believe it, do you? Remus _can't_ be a Werewolf, can he?"

James nodded his head and smiled sadly. "Sorry, Peter. The facts speak for themselves, I'm afraid."

"But- We're not going to abandon him are we?" Pater asked slowly.

"Of course we're not." James stated as Sirius shot Peter a glare.

"Don't even suggest such a thing!" Sirius growled. "I'm not a prejudiced bigot like my parents. Remus is my friend!"

"And I would _die_ before I would abandon Remus." James stated with such fierceness, that Peter took a step back. "And besides. It's not his fault. He's just got a…a furry little problem."

Sirius looked at James as if he had been hit by a Bludger. He raised an elegant eyebrow.

"A furry little problem?" He repeated.

"It doesn't matter to me what Remus is," Said James "He could be half Giant for all I care. He's my friend and I'm not going to abandon him. He's your friend, too, Peter" James said looking at Peter with the same fierce expression. "Surely you're not going to abandon him just because of that?"

"N-no of course not!" Peter spluttered. "I-I thought that y-you were going to abandon him!"

"What have you got for brains, Peter? Dung?" Sirius snorted.

Peter shot Sirius a reproachful look.

"So you're with us, then?" James asked. "Because I'll help you with your Transfiguration homework if you are." He added with a sly grin.

"Alright then." Peter said after considering James's offer. "I'm with you."

* * *

Remus returned after a few days and continued to look peaky. James, Sirius and Peter decided not to talk to him about his lycanthropy as they didn't want to trouble him yet. They discussed ways of trying to help Remus but it wasn't until James raised the possibility of becoming Animagi, that they made any real progress.

Sirius had roared with laughter when James raised the issue.

"Do you realise how difficult that would be?" He chuckled after he calmed down. "We're Second Years. We don't know enough Transfiguration to work that kind of Magic. All we can do at the moment, is turn animals into water Goblets."

"Oh, come on. Transfiguration is _easy_." James snorted. "We know it all, anyway. Peter will need all the help he can get but we'll be able to do it no problem."

"I know we get a lecture about Animagi in the Third Year." Sirius said slowly. "Andromeda told me. My Uncle Alphard told me about a friend of his who's Great Grandmother could transform into a Leopard. Said she used to transform at dinner parties and everything. It would be really cool to transform into an animal just like that." He snapped his fingers.

James nodded. "Think of all the fun we can have if we become Animagi." He grinned.

Sirius laughed. "Yeah! It will _definitely_ be worth the risk!"

They told Peter of their plan to become Animagi. Peter wasn't sure at first, but with the promise to help him with his Transfiguration, he agreed.

"Don't worry, Peter." James said to him. "McGonagall will soon be missing you from detention."

"I hope so!" Peter squeaked. "If I see that Ginger Newt tin one more time, I'm going to have to snatch a few when she's not looking!"

* * *

Over the next few weeks, James, Sirius and Peter spent their spare time in the Library going over Animagi books in the Transfiguration section.

"This'll take _years_ ," Peter moaned one Saturday morning. "Knowing my luck, I'll probably transform into a Worm or a Rat or something."

"If you do transform into a Worm, we can call you Wormy!" Sirius grinned from over his book.

James gave a loud snort of laughter, earning him a severe glare from the librarian, Madam Pince. He continued snorting with laughter after she shuffled off.

"Or if it's a Rat," He chuckled, "How about Wormtail?"

Peter flushed a furious red as James and Sirius both roared with laughter. A number of students gave them irritable looks and Lily Evans's eyes were green slits as she glared at them. Severus Snape sat next to her, scowling at them looking very Vampire like.

"No laughing in the Library!" Barked Madam Pince furiously. "OUT!"

James and Sirius just laughed harder before Madam Pince bewitched their bags to chase them out.

* * *

Remus began to look peaky as full moon was approaching again and James and Sirius were debating whether or not if they should tell him that they knew about his lycanthropy.

"We can't keep this from him." Sirius said one night. "We have to let him know that we know."

James ran a hand through his messy hair. "Yeah." He exhaled. "How about we spill the beans when he comes and tells us about another 'death' in his family?"

"Sounds good to me." Peter nodded before Sirius could respond.

Their opportunity came a few days later when one morning in their Dormitory as they got up when Remus suddenly spoke.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to go away for the next few days." He said grimly. "My father's got a Charmed Cheese competition and he needs me to help him. He's already written a note to Dumbledore and I've been excused from lessons."

Sirius and Peter both looked at James. James sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Look, Remus." He said heavily. "We need to talk to you. The thing is…" He hesitated.

"We know you're a Werewolf." Sirius cut in.

Remus's face paled and he took a step back from them.

"How did you know?" He asked in a constricted voice, eyeing them up suspiciously.

James gave Remus an apologetic look. "The lunar charts. The fact that you disappear once a month. You're always looking pale around full moon. We were able to piece everything together, Remus."

Remus looked at them worriedly, mouth hanging open.

"We're not going to abandon you, Remus," Sirius told him. "You don't deserve that."

"Really? You mean that?" Remus looked at Sirius with an odd expression as if Sirius's words were too good to be true.

"Of course we mean that!" Sirius stated fiercely "You're still you, aren't you? It's not your fault! Why should you have to suffer because of that?"

"He's right, Remus." said James. "It's what's on the inside. Not the outside. You could be Half-Giant for all we care and you'd still be you."

James and Sirius looked at Peter pointedly.

"We'll always be friends, Remus." Peter said earnestly.

Remus looked touched. He straightened his robes and turned his back on them to look out the window.

"I've never spoken to anyone about it." He said in a strained voice. "Apart from my parents and Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore knows?" Peter asked, shocked. James and Sirius shook their heads in exasperation.

"Of course Dumbledore knows," Remus laughed. "He is the Headmaster, after all. The whole staff knows, in fact. If it wasn't for Dumbledore, I doubt that I would even be here."

He turned to face them.

"No other Headmaster would've stuck their necks out for me like Dumbledore. I was very young when I received the bite. I think it was before my fifth birthday. My parents tried everything. I remember having to stay indoors because I couldn't mix with other children my age in case they got suspicious and figured out what I was. We always had to move often as well. I never had a permanent home whilst growing up."

"That's terrible." James said sadly. Sirius nodded whilst Peter gave a loud sniff.

"It all changed when Dumbledore turned up on our doorstep one night." Remus continued.

"He said he heard what happened to me. He told me that there was no reason why I shouldn't come to school and that he made special arrangements for me."

"Do you mean that Whomping Willow that was planted last year? The one that nearly poked Davey Gudgeon's eye out? " Sirius asked. Remus shot him a look of surprise.

"My cousin Andromeda says it wasn't planted at Hogwarts when she was there." Sirius shrugged, answering Remus's unasked question.

"There's a secret passage under the Willow that leads me to a house in the Village. There, I am separated from humans to bite so I bite and scratch myself instead." Remus said solemnly.

"Does it hurt?" James asked. "When you transform?"

Remus nodded sadly.

"Every time." He said. "It is very painful to transform into a Werewolf. I have to rest a few days afterwards."

James and Sirius exchanged glances while Peter looked between the two, confused. Sirius nodded and James spoke.

"Listen, Remus we don't want you to be alone while you transform." James said tentatively.

"What are you talking about?" Remus frowned. "Do you know how ridiculous you sound? If you happen to be with me when I'm a fully grown Werewolf, I would kill you all! And it doesn't matter of you happen to be my best friends! It won't make any difference!"

For the first time, James, Sirius and Peter could see the shadow of the wolf on Remus's face as he glared at them, breathing heavily.

"You can't help me." Remus finished "So don't even _think_ of suggesting anything as stupid as that because if I kill you, I'll never forgive myself"

Remus snatched his bag up angrily and made his way to the Dormitory door.

"No! Remus, wait!" James called. "We've found a way to keep you company!"

Remus froze, his hand on the door handle. He slowly turned to face them once more.

"What do you mean?" He asked shrewdly.

James and Sirius explained all about the Animagi research that they were doing during their spare time.

"Since Werewolves only go for humans, we'd be safer with you if we transformed into animals." Sirius finished.

Remus looked impressed by this argument but he gave a small frown.

"Isn't that going to be a bit dangerous, though?" He asked. "You're Second Years. Peter's going to need all the help he can get. We're still doing the Vera Verto spell."

"Oh, come on that's easy." Sirius snorted. "It's all easy. We know it all anyway and James is giving Peter some extra help as well."

"I've got an A on my last piece of Homework." Peter said proudly. "I used to keep getting Ps, Ds and Ts before. McGonagall kept putting me in Detention."

"A vast improvement," Remus noted dryly "I'm not sure if it's a good idea. But I really do appreciate the gesture. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you're willing to put your necks out for me, like that. That you're able to accept me for being me. I really can't thank you enough."

"That's what friends are for, Moony" Said James with a cocky grin. Sirius and Peter both groaned at the nickname, but Remus laughed at it.

"Moony?" He chuckled. "How did you think of that one?"

"Dunno," James shrugged. "But I thought it suited you. What with your furry little problem and all."

To their great surprise, Remus roared with laughter. It took a while for him to stop laughing.

"I think it might be more then a ' _furry little problem_ ', but I appreciate the sentiment." He chuckled after a minute.

"That's nothing," Sirius grinned. "You should hear what he wanted to call Peter!"

"No! He shouldn't!" Peter snapped as his face reddened again.

"Wormtail is a perfectly brilliant nickname, if I do say so myself." James said proudly. "Now come on. Let's get down to breakfast. I'm starving!"

The four of them made their way down to the Common Room but Remus hung back. A thoughtful expression lingered across his face. James and Sirius made their way to the portrait hole but Peter noticed it.

"Are you alright, Remus?" He asked him. James and Sirius stopped and turned to look at him.

"What?" He said distractedly, snapping back to reality. "Oh yes. I was just thinking. About what Dumbledore said to me when we first met. He said _'that man often spends time in fear of those that they call monsters, but often fails to notice that they, themselves can sometimes turn out be the worst of them all, despite their best intentions'_ I've been thinking about these words a lot."

"I always thought he was off his codger, old Dumbledore. But he's brilliant if you think about it." Said James.

"Of course he is!" Exclaimed Sirius. "Best Headmaster there is. My parents hate him, of course but I couldn't care less what they think."

"You couldn't care less what anyone thinks." James grinned.

"Dumbledore can see through all the fear and prejudice ."Sirius said thoughtfully. "That's why he let you into Hogwarts. It's like what we said. It's not the outside that counts but the inside."

"I've always been grateful to Dumbledore." Said Remus. "If is wasn't for him, I wouldn't be sure what I would be doing."

"You'll always have us, Remus." James told him. "Friends forever. Until the end."

"You'll never be able to get rid of us" Sirius grinned.

"We have a bond that no one will break." Peter chipped in.

"Thank you." Remus said, touched. "I am truly lucky to have such three incredible friends."

"And we're lucky to have you." Grinned James. "But that's enough chin-wagging for one day. I believe I said I was hungry and then we've got-"

But James fell silent as a flash of dark, red hair went past them as Lily Evans pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and walked down the corridor.

James stared at her for a moment, face set and then messed up his hair and puffed out his chest making him look like an Penguin.

"Oh, Evans!" He sang. "About that Broomstick ride!" He followed Lily out of the portrait hole and ran after her, out of sight. Sirius and Peter exchanged exasperated looks while Remus looked like that he was going to laugh.

"Attention span of a Flobberworm, that one." Sirius told the other two. Remus laughed. "Come on, Moony. It looks like we're going to have to nick some food from the kitchens for James and then we're going to have to grin and bear History of Magic. If you want, I'll try and take notes for you."

And with that, the three friends exited the Gryffindor Common Room to the sound of Lily Evans screaming herself hoarse at James Potter.

* * *

Thank you for reading.


End file.
